Jackson State interim coach provides update on health of Deion Sanders

Jackson State interim football coach Gary Harrell provided an update on the health of coach Deion Sanders on Monday. Sanders has missed the Tigers past three games after experiencing an extended hospitalization following a Sept. 22 surgery on his left foot.

“Coach Prime is doing well,” Harrell told reporters. “He’s still in great spirits. I talked to him (Sunday) night, he’s still planning on being here, hopefully this game but at least by next week.

“He’s taking his time and I think he likes how things are going, how things are flowing. He still has the confidence and the belief that we can do the things that he believes in doing and carrying out those assignments.”

Jackson State is 3-0 in games that Harrell has coaches. The No. 15 Tigers are 8-1 on the season and searching for their first SWAC title since 2007. Based on Harrell’s comments, it seems Sanders will be back very soon.

“Coach Prime, you just never know [if he can attend in person this weekend],” Harrell said. “We have a meeting today, and I’m going to speak to him later on. It’s still on how things are going, what the doctors order and Coach Prime. We just don’t have all the information. I’ll be honest, we just don’t get all the info. We want to make sure Coach Prime [is well] and respect his wishes in this time and his family.

“We want to try to do our part here and let Coach Prime take care of what he’s got going on, he’s really right now taking care of Coach Prime.”

A 14-year NFL veteran, Sanders was drafted fifth overall in 1989. He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and others. He was also a professional baseball player while in the NFL.

Sanders entered the high school coaching ranks in 2012 with Prime Prep Academy and went on to coach for three years at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Hill, Texas. He took over Jackson State in 2020, his first college coaching job.

“Folks don’t realize we’ve been here just pretty much over a year; it feels like 2 or 3 years,” Harrell said. “During this time we were able to get some things in place to put us in this position.

“We just want to go ahead and finish the process. .. It’s important that we complete this mission because Coach Prime came in and saw some things that a lot of folks didn’t think was possible. He saw the invisible so we can go do the impossible. We want to make sure we back him up.”

Jackson State is set to take on SWAC rival Southern University at 7 p.m. EDT on Saturday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Based on the latest update on Deion Sanders, his health is nearing a point to where he could be in attendance. If not, Harrell will have things handled.

“It’s just a blessing that he trusts us as he goes throughout this process,” Harrell said. “I appreciate you asking, but he’s doing well. He’s doing well. Trust me, he’s missing not being here physically, but he’s going through a lot as far as just not being here.